<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Song of the Sho'cye by mintmedic</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28970130">The Song of the Sho'cye</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mintmedic/pseuds/mintmedic'>mintmedic</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Flashbacks, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Multi, Post-Rogue One, Pre-Rogue One, Rebel Alliance (Star Wars), Songfic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:34:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,113</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28970130</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mintmedic/pseuds/mintmedic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Time flows like a river, and Lt. Kozintek has floated down paths he cannot have forseen choosing. A chronicle of a life well-spent with people well-loved, and how life contiues despite it all. </p>
<p>{This story is Original Character based with some appearances of canon characters on occasion. Main relationship is M/F/M. First Chapter is set Pre-Rogue One, all subsequent chapters will be Post-Rogue One and continue through the Original Trilogy timeline.}</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Song of the Sho'cye</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>{Recommended Listening/Chapter Title Title Origin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeTWW47yhC4 }</p>
<p>REBEL BASE: YAVIN 4. 2BBY. </p>
<p>Lt. Kozintek has a long day ahead.</p>
<p>{See End Notes for Translation Notes}</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>    Twenty years in the Rebellion had laced silver-white strands into Lieutenant Kozintek’s hair, but he couldn’t help wondering if he’d worn the color away with his own hands as he ran his fingers through it so many times. His mother had called them </span>
  <em>
    <span>thopikiw rumsav iesh </span>
  </em>
  <span>when they’d appeared on his father, a lifetime ago now. “Moonstreaks on the lake”. Too elegant a phrase for someone like him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>    Wash your face, comb your hair, put on your helmet, move on. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Going through the motions, settling the ACH-14 helmet in place over his once-dark waves, barely processing the movement anymore. The routine was supposed to be a comfort. Routines meant predictability. Routines meant </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    Normal was hard to get used to when you’d lived without it for forty years. Normalcy was a luxury, one that he hadn’t been afforded in his life before now. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What a waste.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    Lieutenant Kozintek straightened his uniform one more time, took a deep breath, and left his quarters for the day. One more part of </span>
  <em>
    <span>routine</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>    A line of wide-eyed recruits standing at attention and waiting for his orders in the hangar bay still took some getting used to as well. After five years of training new rebels in reconnaissance, his unease should have faded. Five years of orders and uniforms, five years of telling strangers the family secrets in the craft of gathering information, five years of “yes sir”and “copy, Lieutenant” and... “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Congratulations, Lieutenant Kozintek on your fine recruits</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” He shook his head and walked down the line.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    “Today we’ll be focusing on your observation skills. We’re headed to a planet with an abandoned Republic base from the Clone Wars. It’s going to be your job to find the base, report on its fortifications, and safely make your way back to the rendezvous point on time. Any questions before we board the transport?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    “Sir?”, a young Tolian Twi’lek recruit piped up from the line. His cheeks flushed blue and contrasted his sunny yellow complexion, with short lekku curled behind him in a sign of agitation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    “Yes, Doneeta?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    “Didn’t the clone army of the Republic become the Imperial forces? I mean... Isn’t it possible we could be walking into an operational Imperial base?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>{“Don’t worry. If anybody knows these bases, it’s me. I was in these all the time during the war; my siblings and I knew every corner and crack. I promise, cyare, this place has been picked clean. The Rebellion is safe for now, at least from this base. Let’s get back to the ship, I want to make you something special for dinner tonight. I think our lovely lady brought home wine on the last supply run, we can bring it out for a job well done, eh?”}</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    “...Lieutenant?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    Kozintek cleared his throat and blinked rapidly, trying to force the memory from his thoughts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    “This base was searched and cleared by Tidal Cell ten years ago. It’s been under surveillance since then, and we haven’t seen any indication it’s been revisited by the Empire in that time. I think we’ll be fine, recruit.” The Twi’lek nodded and stepped back into line and his lekku relaxed a little. He was almost certainly too young to remember the war, Kozintek realized as he studied the boy’s round cheeks and short head-tails. He had probably only heard stories of the recon cells like Tidal Cell that cleared the way for the Rebellion, allowing them to settle into former Republic bases and trade information on the defunct clone frequencies. He probably wasn’t even as old as Senator Organa’s outspoken daughter, the nineteen year-old who had advocated against the empire publicly and put herself in danger, just like Doneeta would soon. The main difference being that Doneeta wore armor and a blaster, of course. </span>
  <em>
    <span>This galaxy is not kind.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    “Alright if that’s all, we have a ways to go and we’re burning time. Let’s go, people, load up.” He gave a wave of his arm towards the shuttle and the recruits broke formation to pile in, checking their gear and making bets on who would earn highest marks on their evaluation. As the last recruit turned away, he covered his face with his hands and heaved a sigh into his palms. He couldn’t let the little things like that get to him. Couldn’t freeze up like that again. He had to keep it together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    It was going to be a </span>
  <em>
    <span>long </span>
  </em>
  <span>mission.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>    “Turn it </span>
  <em>
    <span>off</span>
  </em>
  <span>, do you want us all to get yelled at? They all say Koz has one rule and it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>no music</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    “Relax, Niuss. He’s probably asleep back there anyway. I really doubt he cares that much if we play some cruising music.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    “Limik, it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>King Koz</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I want to stay on his good side if you don’t mind. I heard when he was an operative, he held a Moff at blasterpoint until she promised to never attack a rebel base again-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    “Please, she was a general, not a Moff. And anyway, nobody calls me ‘King Koz’, but you Niuss. I’m not a myth, just old.” Kozintek chuckled slightly in his chest as he approached the recruits, placing a hand on each of their shoulders but being careful to avoid Niuss’ lekku as the Togruta cadet sputtered and shied away from his touch. The Sullustan recruit named Limik stared ahead as he scrambled to turn off the offending noise, too embarrassed to turn the enormous black eyes characteristic of his species up to meet his gaze but too proud to look down. “Now what’s this about?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    “S-sir... I... I was just telling Limik that it’s not a good idea to play music on a mission because it’s distracting and-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    “I appreciate your looking out, Cadet Niuss, but I think these newer recruits are a little too jumpy and a little music might be what they need. You can have your fun just this once, recruit. Limik, is it?”  The Sullustran dared to tilt his head just enough to meet his lieutenant’s eyes. “I won’t stop you this time. Go ahead.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    Limik laughed high in his throat and bobbed his head as he started the song over again, feeling the smooth beat that seemed to move through the cabin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    It had been so long since Kozintek let himself listen to music... to just enjoy a tune and listen to someone else’s words... to just melt into it like he used to. The rhythm lulled him almost into a trance, and he nearly slipped into the comfort of the repetitive percussion when the vocals entered the melody and caught him off-guard. The first few words rang in his ears...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>I got my eyes on you... you’re everything that I see/</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>I want your hot love and emotion, endlessly</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>    Shonar’s hands are warm against his face, framing his features, pulling him close for a kiss... Resting their foreheads together, whispering “Cyare, we’re safe... I promise it’s safe, I checked everywhere. Don’t worry anymore. Trust me.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>I can’t get over you... you left your mark on me/</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>I want your hot love and emotion, endlessly</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>    Rutiza taking his hand and guiding it up to her own cheek, to kiss his palm and smile at him... Stepping forward to press her lips to his so gently and sigh, “You’ve always looked out for us and made sure we felt safe, alema. Let us do the same for you. Trust us. You need to take a rest.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Cause you’re a good one and you know it.../</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You act so different around me...</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>    “Rutiza... you must be really worried about me... You’re not usually this affectionate...” He’s holding the back of her head, mindful of her lekku, keeping her close to him and smiling as softly as ever when he nudges her nose with his... </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I know I... can... have trouble with it but... you do mean the stars to me, Yentii. You are... my eswok... as is Shonar. My two hearts.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Cause you’re a good one and you know it.../</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>I know exactly who you could be...</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>    Shonar joins them and gathers them in his arms, it’s almost too much to feel his broad chest and strong embrace, it’s gentle and it’s safe and so loving-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>    “Ner kar’tase... my two hearts... I like that.” Shonar buries his face in his hair and his breath tickles a little.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>    “Then you are my niyimtil. My two hearts. I will hold you forever. Shonar, Rutiza, hearts of my soul I promise I will hold you forever.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Just hold on, we’re going home.../</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It’s hard to do these things alone</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>    He let himself ease into their hold, allowing his loves to support him. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>    “I... I can’t imagine life without you... I can’t imagine who I would be if I hadn’t met you all those years ago... seventeen, eighteen years of my life I’m happy to have given you and now I just... can’t imagine who I would be without you-”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>    “Then don’t. Don’t think about it because you </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>have</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> us. Forever. Always, ner cyare.” Shonar sweps his hair back as he uses the Mando’a endearment, pulling aside Yentii’s neck to press an insistent kiss to his shoulder-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>    “Never doubt that, ma nima. Shonar and I would never lie to you. We love you and we don’t plan on going anywhere.” Rutiza laces his fingers with hers in one hand and slides the under other his shirt to cover his heart-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You’re the ones, gave you everything I ever had/</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>I think there’s something baby</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>    Shonar is behind him now, pushing into his back with his powerful body and keeping him in place with a steady and comforting grip... an unspoken promise he will never be moved and will always be right here... Rutiza traces her beautiful turquoise hands over his own golden skin and dusts kisses across his face and chest as she whispers in her native Twi’leki against his skin the most beautiful poetry, assuring them both that she will go to the ends of the galaxy to let them know the depth of her love-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Oh just hold on we’re going home-</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>    “Sir, are you alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    The aquamarine vision faded, replaced with a dark plum blob which solidified into Cadet Niuss as Kozintek blinked. Some part of him recognized that he must have been blinking away tears, because he could feel them rolling down his cheek now that his body was suddenly very cold. </span>
  <em>
    <span>And alone.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    “Cadet-” His voice was harsh, reedy and cracked when it escaped his tightening throat, and he cursed under his breath before trying again. “Cadet Niuss... turn that </span>
  <em>
    <span>szu’tak</span>
  </em>
  <span> off.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    Before Niuss could say a word, he had turned on his heel and walked away. He couldn’t look at any of his recruits in the eye after </span>
  <em>
    <span>crying in front of them</span>
  </em>
  <span> like that. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What a mess.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    He faintly heard Doneeta ask “Did he just speak Twi’leki?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    He shut himself in the storage compartment and his legs collapsed more immediately than would be considered graceful, unable to bear his weight once he was alone. Kozintek fumbled to tear off his helmet, letting it clatter on the floor of the hull. The tears were hot and painful to release, but they wouldn’t stop, burning his cheeks in shame and grief. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>    He had lost so much in this war. His ship, his parents, his second ship, his resources, his friends, his contacts, his home, his youth, so many hours of stressful nights wondering if he would live one more day...</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>    ...and the loves of his life.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    Yentii Kozintek wept bitterly into his sleeve and prayed that the last ten years without them had been a dream. That he would wake up between the people who loved him more than anyone ever had and that he loved more than he thought his heart could handle. He whispered to the old forgotten gods of his homeworld... to the Mother Kika’lekki of Ryloth... to the collective Mandalorian spirits of the Manda... to the stars themselves...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    He felt a jolt and snapped his eyes open, </span>
  <em>
    <span>maybe they had listened-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    “Sir? The shuttle has landed. I’ll get the recruits started outside.” Niuss’ voice faded as gently as it had come, and the silence of the cabin filled Kozintek’s ears once more. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>    Ah yes. Normal. Routine. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    He took a deep shaky breath, rising to his knees, and started again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>    Wipe your face, run a hand through your hair, put on your helmet. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>    Move on.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>    Going through the motions, settling the ACH-14 helmet in place over his once-dark waves, barely processing the movement. Lieutenant Kozintek straightened his uniform one more time, took a deep breath, and left the cargo compartment to train his recruits. One more part of </span>
  <em>
    <span>routine</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>{Translation Notes: Kozintek speaks a few words in his home language here, please do not seek out this language, he is not a member of any canon species or group! I invented his language, planet and culture. More of all that will be revealed in further chapters as we go along!<br/>All Mando'a and Twi'leki/Ryl used in this fic is pulled from Legends sources, I did not make any of it up. and I'm happy to share resources or talk language/culture with you!}</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>